Exuding confidence that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will have a sweeping majority in the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala, Congress MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi has said that the pre-poll surveys, that have predicted that the Left Democratic Front will continue to remain in power in the state, could have been ‘paid’ ones.
"I don't buy the survey results. The survey results depend a lot on the voice in power. The government perhaps has money and money influences the media, unfortunately. So I don't buy these results,” said the former Congress President and current MP from Kerala’s Wayanad, in an interview to Malayalam news channel Asianet News. Rahul Gandhi has also exuded confidence that the UDF is going to win the elections with a majority.
The Assembly elections in Kerala are scheduled to be held on April 6 and many pre-poll surveys of prominent channels like Asianet News, Mathrubhumi News, 24 News and Manorama News have all predicted that the Left Democratic Front, led by the CPI(M), will come back to power. Congress heads the opposition UDF in the state.
Speaking to Asianet News, Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress gave 55 per cent seats to youngsters because the party has a clear solution to the problems faced by Kerala. “We believe that the two biggest problems in Kerala are unemployment and economic crisis. We have come with a solution — Nyay — for the problem," he said, adding that the Congress’s manifesto is the reflection of the voice of the people of Kerala and that he is one of the people who has supported that voice. Nyay, short for Nyuntam Aay Yojana, is a minimum income guarantee scheme for the people proposed by the Congress.
Responding to the question about Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s allegations that the Congress can't counter the RSS, both at the national as well as at the state level, Rahul Gandhi asked why the BJP never talked about a CPI(M) mukt India or CPI(M) mukt Kerala (CPI(M) free Kerala). The BJP has often spoken about a Congress-mukt India during election campaigns.
“Why is the BJP not investigating the corruption charges in Kerala? Everywhere, the BJP says that the person and the people they are fighting them against is the Congress, that is why Narendra Modi says Congress-mukt Bharat (Congress-free India),” he said. He also said that he has an internal wish to see a woman Chief Minister in Kerala and his appeal to the people is that to vote for the future of Kerala.
Speaking about Rahul Gandhi’s allegations about ‘paid pre-poll surveys,’ Pramod Puzhankara, a Supreme Court lawyer, took to Facebook to say that the television channels, against whom Rahul has made these allegations, should discuss this.
"The allegation raised by Rahul Gandhi should be a major breaking news. His allegation (implies that) Asianet, Manorama, Mathrubhumi and Media One channels have received money for airing pre-poll survey results that predicted the continuum of power for the Left front," Pramod's Facebook reads. "Would the channels ask Rahul Gandhi and the other Congress leaders on the basis of what evidence Rahul Gandhi raised these allegations?" the post further reads.
Watch Rahul Gandhi interview to Asianet